Saint-Gobain renewables drive signals AD statement of intent

Construction materials supplier Saint-Gobain (UK and Ireland) has increased its renewable power usage by 8% to 34% after signing contracts with three anaerobic digestion (AD) plant operators.


The power purchase agreements (PPA) mean that around 10% of Saint-Gobain’s annual electricity demand, which is 3MW, now comes from renewable energy sources.

The firm aims to increase the amount of electricity it sources from such arrangements as PPAs to 30% by 2015.

Initially three-year deals, Saint-Gobain has committed to buy the entire electrical output of Biomass Future Generation, Katharos Organic and Trinity Hall Biogas.

The company’s Ireland & South Africa purchasing director Simon Cotterell said that Saint-Gobain was focused on reducing energy consumption as well as decarbonsing its supply chain and securing supplies. He added that “significant progress” had already been made in this area.

“In 2011 alone, 26% of the power we used in the UK came from renewable sources. This deal will enable us to increase this percentage further with production starting in July 2012,” he said.

“As we have guaranteed pricing with the energy generators involved, our hope is that the deals will also give them confidence to invest further so that additional renewable energy can be generated for the National Grid.”

Conor McGlone

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